Power generator



July 14, 1931. H. A. SLATTENGREN POWER GENERATOR Filed Aug. 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lui'lneeses 5 .LMU

July 14, 1931. H. A. sLATTENGRl-:N *1,814,192

POWER GENERATOR l Filed Aug. 1s, 1927 zsheets-sheet (O. l //M' @f V 2D l 'OLQSZ Hel/1m; @..l'crHen/gren BU Misa-meg.

LUHGSSSS Patented July 14, 1931 HENRY A. BLATTENGREN, OF BERWYN, ILLINOIS POWER GENERATOR Application led August 18, 1927. Serial No. 213,749.

My invention relates to improvements in.

devices for the generation of power by the production of steam and more particularly to the generation of power by a special method of flash steam production. p

The object of my invention is to provide a power generator that will be simple and compact in construction, light in weight and eflicient in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved apparatus for the generation of steam..

Another ob'ect of my invention is to provide means ier attaining unusually high. temperatures and pressures in a device of the kind described.

Other objects and advantageswill appear more fully in the vhereinafter specification when taken in connection with the accompanyingl drawings in which,

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of my device.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1. c

Figure 3 is a section on 'line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularlyto the drawings in which similar characters of reference apply to like parts in the several ligures is a casing having on its `outer suriiace a layer of suitable heat insulating packing 11, and on its inner surface a layer of re- `i`ractory material in the form of slabs orl bricks 12,-an'1nternal recess 13 belno' optionallyk provided to receive a cement'itious or other suitable heat insulating medium 14, to be poured or stuil'ed therein. The casing 10 is ,formed to provide an enlarged combustion and steam generatingchamber and an elongated steam conversion chamber 1G, in connection with any suitable duct D,

or other transmitting means, leading to the.

place or means (not shown.) for utilization of the temperatures and pressures of products generated.

At the rearward end of the combustion chamber 15 is a screw threaded o ening 17 whereinmay be secured an annu ar assembly 18 comprising the mixing chamber 19 having the vents 19', the nozzle 20 and 50 the inside valve 21 and feed pipe 21 for air. The mixing chamber 19-has also a threaded opening 22 adapted to accommodate a second annular assembly 22 having a Jfuel chamber 23and vents 23 therein, a needle 55 valvey 24 and a feed pipe 24 leadmg thereto. The enlarged portion of the bore of the nozzle 20 accommodates a second nozzle 25. This second nozzle 25 is adapted to receive a third nozzle 26 having a needle 60 `valve 27 associated with a water supply pipe 27 the/needle valve 27 having an enlarged threaded shoulder 28 and a handle 28 for its appropriate o eration.

. The combustion cham er 15 is also pro- 05 vide with a spark lug 30 connected with a suitable source otP electrical energy (not shown) for the purpose of initially firing the atomized fuel mixture until the temperature of the refractory material 12 is ralsed 70 to a point suilicient to automatically ignite the incoming atomized fuel from the vents 19, the opening in the casing 10 in which said spark plug 30 is detachably mounted serving as a flame inspection o ening. Leading to the steam conversion c amber 16 is a pipe 31 communicating with a pressure dome 32 on which .is located a conventionalpressure gauge 33 and a safety valve 34.

The mode of operation of my device will now be apparent upon referring to the drawings in connection with the following brief description:l

The pipe 27 is connected to a suitable head 85 of Water (not shown) and is led into and controlled in the third nozzle by mea-ns of the handle 28. The fuel pi e 24..is connected to a suitable liquid fue preferably a hydrocarbon,` but not` necessarily so, and 00 leads to the fuel chamber 23 and thence through the vents 23 to the mixing chamber J19,--the' rate of flow of the fuel being controlled by the needle valve 24 in the usual manner. The pipe 21* is connected to suitable air compression means (not shown) the relative proportions of air to fuel being controlled by the needle valve 21. To put .my device into operation, the air and fuel supply needle valves are first opened and permitted to i'ow through the mixing chamber where they are thoroughly commingled and pass through the vents 19 into the combustion chamber 15 wherein they arerignited by the spark plug 3 0. Simultaneously with the opening of the air and fuel supply'pipes, the needle control for the water supply is also opened, thereby permitting a flow of water under pressure to pass progressively through nozzles 26, 25 and 2O into the combustion chamber at a point where the walls converge and join with the steam conversion chamber. After my device has been in operation for some seconds, the nozzle 2O will absorb suicient heat to raise the water therein to steam, and after a few minutes operation, the heat from the ignited gaseous mixture within the combustion chamber is sulicient to thoroughe ly heat up the annular assembly 18, and the inner annular assembly 22 to a point where nozzles 25 and 26 are also heated up, thereby raising the temperature of the water progressively to a point whereA it is already 1n a gaseous condition before it arrives at the entrance'of nozzle 20.` It is evident, therefore, that the. steam within nozzle 2O can be superheated therein to such a vdegree that its ,entrance thereafter into the combustion chamber will not have any appreciable chilling effect on the incandescent gaseous mixture.

As is well known, steam can be decomposed in the presence of incandescent metals 'or-gases, thereby liberating free hydrogen,

which may be combined with-a suitable incandescent gas in a manner to further raise the high temperatures generated by the flaming gaseous 'mixture while further intermingling with same in that condition. The entrance of the steam conversion-chamber 16, as shown is slightly narrowed, following the usual venturi principle. The high temperatures .and pressures attained by the method herein described can be applied to the operation of any suitable heat and pressure actuated device (not shown).

Ordinarily, if the atoms of hydrogen and otherv elements contained in the combustion chamber were placed under increased pressure and the temperature at the same time reduced they would, of course, liquefy.

However, if instead 'of' reducing the temperature it is materially Increased as the pressure increases, a point willbe reached when the hydrogen atoms, consisting of protons and lelectrons whirling around a common center of gravity, will interfere or colenlarged spherical chamber '15 having the refractory lining 12, and through which chamber the steam nozzle 20 extends axially and terminates in proximity to the restricted outlet through the neck portion which connects the 'combustion chamber with the tubular chamber 16 in which the products of combustion, under exceedingly high temperature, commingle with the vaporized water leaving the nozzle 20. In this connection, it may be here noted that some of the preheated water or the steam which may be generatedin the nozzle tube 25 is admitted to the chamber 15 through an annular series of vents 35 which are respectively directed angularly through the beveled shoulder portion 36 at the juncture of the extended nozzle tube 20 with its enlarged base portion 20', said vents registering with corresponding apertures in the tapered end portion 25 of the inner nozzle tube 25. This preheated water or steam augments the combustion of the fuel and air mixture and increases the pressure without reducing the temperature in the chamber 15. Hence, the superheated steam emitted from the end of the nozzle extension 20, in the region pf the entrance to the elongated restricted chamber 16, com-V mingles with the highly heated products under pressure from the combustion chamber whereby the steam is converted vby del composition and recombination into an exceedmgly high-powered agency for the operation of engines and other utilities.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above descriptionas the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical for my purpose; yet realizing that conditions concurrent with the adoptionpof my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may vbe resorted to when required, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any f the advantages of my invention as set forth.

What I cla-im as new and desire to securev by Letters Patent is y 1. In a device of the kind described, a casing having a substantially sphericall combustion and steam generating chamber communicating directly with a restricted steam conversion chamber, a plurality of concentric interlitted nozzles affording sepa- .rate axiially alined chambers operativel conseries of vents communicable with said com-- bustion and steam generatmg chamber, and

a fuel receiving and distributing chamber communicating with said mixing chamber, said nozzles. and said mixing and receiving and distributing chambers being secured to vand forming. a part of an assembly v'removably attached to said casing.

2. In a device of the kind described a combustion and steam generating chamber communicatingat one end with an elongated transversely restricted passageway, said combustion and steam generating chamber having an inlet formed thereon adapted to removably accommodate an annular assembly having secured thereto a plurality'of interfitted concentric nozzles affording separate axially alined communicating chambers, one of said nozzles having apertures to admit steam and water into the combustion and steam generating chamber initially in proximity to said annular assembly and the endtents axially at a point approximately adjacent to the opening of sald elongated re- -stricted passageway, said assembly further comprising an annularl mixing chamber having a lateral valved inlet andan annularA series of vents communicating with lsaid combustion and steam eneratlng chamber, and a fuel receiving and ber having an annular series of vents communicating with said mixing chamber, said fuel receivin anddistributing chamber and said nozz es having valve controlled in- 1 lets, respectively.

3. In a device of the kind described a combustion and steam generating cham er of substantially s herical shape, directly communicating wit an elongated restricted passageway whereby to intimately mix products of combustion with super-heated steam, an annular assembly com risin a casin mounted in axially oppose relatlon to sai Y elongated restricted passageway in a port in said combustion and steam generating chamber, a plurality of nozzles intertted to affordseparate axiall alined communieatin chambers central y of said annular assem ly, a supplemental annular casing fitted in the outer end portion of said first mentioned casing, surrounding said nozzles and constituting a fuel receiving and discharging chamber,said first mentioned casing constituting a mixing chamber and having a lateral air inlet, said vassembly stricted passa way, and

distributing `cham-- having valves admitting air, water and fuel separately within the respective chambers of said annular assembly, one of said firstmentioned lurality of nozzles extending through sai combustion and steam enerating chamber to a point ap roximateI adjacent -the entrance to sal elongate remeans in said combustion an steam to ignite carburetted fue `4f. In a vdevice of the kind described, a casing having a combustion and steam generating chamber communicating directly with an elongated restricted passageway, a threaded port in said casing accommodating an annular assembly comprising a supplemental casin threadedly engagin said port, interfittmg concentric nozzles t e outer one of which is integral with said first mentioned casing, one of said nozzles extending through said combustion and steam generating chamber to a oint axially adjacent the entrance to said e ongated restricted passageway, said last mentioned nozzle providingmeans for injecting superheated steam into said elongated .passageway at the point where the aming products in the com ustionand steam generating chamber converge tomeet said passageway, a plurality of separate chambers within said an- '-nular assembl one of said chambers havmost advance nozzle dlscharging lts oon-- .ing- 'an air in et and an annular series of `discharge vents communicating with said combustion and-steam generating chamber, andthe other of said assembly chambers constitutin a fuel receiver and distributor communica water and air into said nozzles.

5. In a device of the kind described, a ycasing having a communicating combustion and steam generating chamber formed in the casing and opening into an elongated passageway also providedin said casing, a unitary assembly closing said port and threadedly secured to said casing, said assembly comprising a member having a mixing chamber, said chamber having'apertures communicating with said combustion and steam generating chamber, a cylindrical member threadedly secured in an opening at the rear of said mixing chamber, said cylindrical member having vents communicating with 'said last mentioned chamber and having a port for the admission of fuel therein, sad mixingchamber having a separate air in et.

6. In a device of the kind described, comprising a casing having a combustion chamber formed therein and a tapered passageway opening into a steam conversion chamber, a detachable unitary assemblyv comprising an outer cylindrical member'threadedly generating chamber port at one end, said port irectly with av widened le with said mixing chamber, and said assembly being provided with valves means to control the flow of fuel,

ius

secured in a port formed at, the rear of said casing, said unitary assembly includin an integrall formed elon ated axiall pro ecting nozz e extending t rough sai com ustion chamber, said elon ated nozzle terminating in aproximity to t e entrance ci said tapered passageway, a mixing chamber formed in an element integral with said nozzle assembly, said mixing chamber surrounding `a part of the periphery of said elongated nozzle and having a threaded openmg receiving a cylindricalssmaller casing having an annular fuel receiving chamber, said fuel .receiving chamber surrounding said elongated nozzle, said chamber "admitting fuel under pressure and havin vents communicating with the mixing c amber surrounding said elongated nozzle, a valved air admitting connection to said last mentioned chamber, and a valved water admitting connection to said elongated nozzle.

7 In combination with a casing having a combustion and steam generating chamber,

a port at the rear end of said casing, said port having fitted therein a detachable nozzle assembly containing a plurality of nozzles arranged in concentrical and sta gered relation, the outermost one of. said nozzles bein elongated and projected substantially t rough said combustion and.

' steam generating chamber into a constricted portion of said casing having a comparatively elongated passageway, the innermost of said plurality of nozzles receiving water and e'ecting steam generated therefrom throng a plurality of openings in said elongatednozzle and thence into saidcombustion and steam generating chamber, said elongated nozzle bein integrally formed with a tubular extenslon surrounded with a chamber provided in a cylindrical member integral wlth the tubular extension, said last mentioned member havin a port at the rear thereof closed by a su stantially cylindrical smaller casing provided with vents,

said smaller casing having a chamber communicating with the chamber surrounding 'the tubular member by a plurality of vents,

as descrlbed. evice of the kind described, a

substantiall 8. In a casing having a combustion and steam gening caslng provided with relation, said nozzle also having a passageway opening into a widened chamber, an element insertable in said widened chamber and having a plurality of vents registering wlth the vents in said nozzle, said insertable element havin a needle valve secured there- 1n, said cylin rical element having an inlet provided with a needle valve communicating with a source of air.

In testimony whereof I have 'signed my name to this s eciication.

l HEN Y A. SLATTENGREN. 

